Traditional material fusion techniques, such as welding, have serious limitations. For example, often fusion techniques cannot be applied to materials with heat or electricity constraints. In one specific example, support beams are vulnerable to warping and possible failure when heated to temperatures needed for traditional welding. In another example, objects near sensitive electronics and volatile chemicals cannot be fused, re-fused or restored by conventional means (smelting, brazing, and welding) until separated from such sensitive equipment or materials. These methods also cannot be used on metallic materials which require contiguous, uniform properties.
Welding is a common method for fusing together metal pieces by heating the surfaces to the point of melting using a blowtorch, electric arc, or other means, and uniting the metal pieces by pressing, hammering, or the like. Metals tend to be either machinable or weldable, which poses a widespread challenge in the manufacturing industry. For example, many advanced alloys are machinable, but conventional welding would alter their precise grain structures and destroy the properties of the alloy. Welded and heat-treated joints experience changes to their material properties with consequences to stress and strain distribution, heat conduction, static dissipation, etc. As such, the conventional welding is not compatible with all industrially relevant metals.
Alternatively, electrodeposition is a process for coating a thin layer of one metal on top of a substrate, often to modify its surface properties. Although electrodeposition does not require the high temperatures of welding for melting metal surface, the thin layers of metal obtained from electrodeposition cannot join and unite metal pieces in a mechanically strong or durable way.
It is with these issues in mind, among others, that aspects of the present disclosure were conceived.